Short tandem repeat polymorphism in the flanking region of the human phosphoglycerate kinase gene in a Japanese population

The human phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK1) gene is located within Xqll-Xql3 and is closely linked to the androgen receptor gene within a region implicated in a number of X-chromosome-linked urologic disorders. A polymorphism of a TATC short tandem repeat (STR) is present downstream from the PGK1 3' nuclease-sensitive site. We present the PGK1 flanking STR sequence and population genetic data for 190 Japanese males and 83 Japanese females. Ten STR alleles and 29 genotypes were identified in the population. Five alleles--*10, *11, *12, *13, and *14--were common in the Japanese with frequencies greater than 10%. No significant deviations from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium were established. The power of discrimination was 0.993 for females and 0.819 for males; heterozygosity was 0.759 for females; and the polymorphic information content was 0.936. These data indicate that this STR locus shows a high degree of polymorphism in this Japanese population and may prove to be a useful genetic marker in forensic medicine, in determining the clonality of neoplasms, and potentially in studying predisposition to prostate cancer and other urologic diseases.     

Effects of chitin/chitosan and their oligomers/monomers on release of type I collagenase from fibroblasts

The effects of chitin/chitosan and their oligomers/monomers on the release of type I collagenase (MMP-1) from fibroblasts were evaluated using adult (adFB) and neonatal human fibroblasts (neFB) by a immunological assay. Release of MMP-1 from adFB increased significantly or tended to increase for all samples, while there was no significant change in MMP-1 levels with neFB. Because the oligomers and monomers of chitin and chitosan influenced MMP-1 activity, it was suggested that the elevated MMP-1 activity would continue until biodegradation of chitin and chitosan was complete.     

Studies on the Conjugated Lipids

Acid hydrolysis of cytosinine gave each one mole of cytosine, levulinic acid, ammonia and carbon dioxide. Reduction of cytosinine with PtO₂ afforded a mixture of dihydrocytosinine, 3-amino-tetrahydropyran-2-carboxylic acid and cytosine. Ozonolysis of N,N’-diacetylcytosinine methyl ester, followed by oxidation with hydrogen peroxide and acid hydrolysis gave erythro-d-β-hydroxyaspartic acid. These data permitted the assignment of structure (I) for cytosinine. Acid hydrolysis of uracinine gave uracil instead of cytosine, therefore, the structure (II) could be assigned to uracinine. Some stereochemical features and mechanism of levulinic acid formation were discussed.     

Isolation and Identification of a Novel β-Carboline Derivative in Salted Radish Roots,Raphanus sativus L.

The methanol extract of salted radish roots contains several precursors of yellow pigment. The main compound was isolated by the use of Toyopearl HW-40S column chromatography, and its structure was determined to be 1-(2′-pyrrolidinethion-3′-yl)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-β-carboline-3-carboxylic acid on the basis of an elemental analysis, and IR, UV, FAB-MS and NMR spectroscopy. This compound is presumed to have been the condensation product from the degradation of 4-methylthio-3-butenyl isothiocyanate and l-tryptophan. This carboline compound is considered to play an important role in the formation of the yellow pigment in salted radish roots.     

Some Properties of an Invertase-liberating Enzyme Isolated from Zymolyase

An enzyme which released invertase from cell ghosts of Candida utilis was isolated in an electrophoretically pure state from “Zymolyase.” The molecular weight of the purified enzyme was estimated to be 5.8 × 10⁴, and its isoelectric point was pH 6.9. The enzyme was stable in a pH range from 6.0 to 9.0, and the optimal pH for liberation of invertase from cell ghosts was around 6.0. The activity of the enzyme was competitively inhibited by glucose, mannose, and sucrose. Unlike the starting enzyme preparation, “Zymolyase,” the purified enzyme released invertase without making holes on the surface of the cell ghosts. Various tests were applied, but the specificity of the enzyme was not defined.     

Structure of Trigalactosyldiglyceride Isolated from Alfalfa Leaves

Theoretical and experimental investigations were conducted on growth kinetics and substrate consumption of hydrogen bacterium Alcaligenes hydrogenophilus. The kinetic models proposed were evaluated by continuous cultures of A. hydrogenophilus under various conditions. The kinetic models closely simulated continuous cultures of A. hydrogenophilus.